(433) Eros is an asteroid in Earth orbit
Several privately funded space companies entered the race to get the trillions of pounds of precious metals, which are believed to be hidden in asteroids. Asteroid Mining Corporation in the UK has become a pioneer in its country.
In theory, the benefit speaks for itself - the huge expenditure on space missions should be offset by the internal wealth of the asteroids. But how to organize such prey on an asteroid? How to choose an object?
In the classification of asteroids are guided by the composition: carbon, silicon and metal. Metal objects attract the most attention, but their compositions still remain incomprehensible. Usually, all scientific research focuses on the security of the planet.
There is no specific asteroid sample yet. Observation and analysis of fallen fragments suggests that a small percentage of asteroids contain concentrations of valuable metals, such as platinum and gold. Therefore, initially it is important to define specific goals. The list of known objects includes more than 750,000 asteroids. But most are eliminated, as they rotate between Mars and Jupiter (too far). The search narrows down to 17,000 bodies near our planet. To further narrow the list you will need a spectrograph. The tool analyzes the sunlight reflected from the surface and divides it by wavelength. This allows you to understand the surface. For example, red indicates the presence of iron and nickel. Platinum is usually with them.
Artistic vision of a satellite operating on solar energy in an asteroid mining mission
Requirements
When choosing an asteroid, it is important to understand the presence of a sufficient concentration of precious metals. How fast is moving? And how far is it far to send a probe? The analysis shows that the mining mission will cost about $ 1 billion. The asteroid should reach 1 km in diameter and contain more than 10 parts per million platinum. Its speed relative to the Earth is 4.5 m / s.
Theoretical assessment is based on fallen objects on our planet. Approximately 4% were metal. Therefore, it is assumed that 4% of all near-Earth asteroids should belong to this category. So for the mission it is advisable to leave only 10 objects.
It remains now to find a needle in a haystack. The initial phase of the design of the first satellite continues and it is planned to launch as early as 2020. It will go into Earth orbit and will collect spectral data to determine the composition of the observed objects. Next, you need to run the probe to obtain samples and detailed chemical analysis. It is also important to take pictures of the target's surface in order to find the best place to land. The final consists in the landing of a special apparatus and the extraction of metals on the spot. Of course, there are many technical problems for such an operation. And let's not forget about the legal implications for such fishing. There are no laws and regulations governing space exploration. There is a risk that the story will repeat with the Wild West, but on a cosmic scale. While we do not have the technology and the exact plan, but enthusiasts do not give up and hopefully explore various options for the extraction of precious stones, generously donated to the universe.
